Description
Creamy cheesecake mingles with classic apple crisp in these delightful mini desserts. Warm cinnamon and caramelized apples create a perfect balance of textures you won’t want to miss.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 large apple, peeled and diced (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
- 1 egg
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup old-fashioned oats
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (for topping)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon (for apple mixture)
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (for apple mixture)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (for topping)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for crust)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for topping)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- Caramel sauce
- Whipped cream
Instructions
- Crust Preparation: Pulverize graham crackers with sugar and butter, pressing a tablespoon into each cupcake liner. Lightly toast at 325°F for 5 minutes until golden, then cool thoroughly.
- Cheesecake Base: Whip cream cheese and sugar until velvety smooth. Fold in vanilla, egg, and sour cream, mixing minimally to maintain silky texture.
- Apple Compote Creation: Simmer diced apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice until tender. Integrate cornstarch slurry to develop a glossy, rich consistency, then remove from heat and allow slight cooling.
- Crisp Topping Assembly: Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter to form a crumbly mixture with varied texture.
- Layering and Baking: Distribute cheesecake filling evenly across prepared crusts. Top with apple compote and generously sprinkle crisp topping for complete coverage. Bake 18-20 minutes until edges turn golden and centers set.
- Finishing Touch: Cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for minimum 2 hours. Optional gourmet enhancement includes caramel drizzle and delicate whipped cream garnish before serving.
Notes
- Prevent Crust Crumbling: Press graham cracker mixture firmly into liners to create a solid, compact base that won’t fall apart when eating.
- Control Cheesecake Texture: Mix cream cheese ingredients gently and avoid overmixing to prevent air bubbles and maintain a smooth, creamy consistency.
- Manage Apple Moisture: Pat diced apples dry before cooking to prevent excess liquid from making the cheesecake soggy and compromising the crisp topping’s crunch.
- Customize Dietary Options: Substitute graham crackers with gluten-free alternatives, use low-fat cream cheese, or replace sugar with monk fruit sweetener for health-conscious variations.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 240
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg